Austria leave US on brink of defeat in Fed Cup
( 2002-04-28 10:10 ) (7 )

Austria took the US to the brink of defeat in the Fed Cup after Barbara Schwartz beat Monica Seles 7-6 6-2 for a 2-0 first round lead on Saturday.

Battling Schwartz overpowered a sluggish Seles after the hosts had been forced to forfeit one singles when captain Billie Jean King threw Jennifer Capriati off the squad.

"It was definitely a tough situation to be in all week and I probably put too much pressure on myself," Seles said. "It was too tough to deal with and now we're in a big hole." Three-time French Open champion Seles was a heavy favourite coming into her match against the lefty Schwartz, who has done little on the tour since injuring her elbow in 2000.

But the Austrian was clearly the better player on the day, fighting off five set points in the first set before taking it 9-7 on the tiebreak and then cruising through the second set.

The US -- playing in the Fed Cup for the first time since withdrawing from the 2001 final over security concerns following the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington -- started the Charlotte fixture 1-0 down following Friday's furore.

They had been forced to concede what would have been the second singles of the day when world number two Capriati was sensationally dumped for refusing to cancel a private practice session with her father and coach Stefano.

She will be replaced by Meghann Shaughnessy for the opening singles match on Sunday.

"I am extremely upset about being dismissed from the team," Capriati said after Friday's drama.

"I was looking forward to representing my country in this prestigious international competition. I am so disappointed by the actions the USTA (United States Tennis Association) has taken."

Capriati, who had been part of the US cup-winning team in 2000, had been due to play the unheralded Evelyn Fauth.

TEAM'S RULES

King simply said: "The Fed Cup competition is comprised of team play, and our team's rules apply to all players to ensure a team concept.

"We are disappointed that Jennifer did not agree to comply with our closed, team-only practice policy, and as a result was excused from the team."

The US are gunning for a spot in the quarter-finals where they will face either Croatia or the Czech Republic who are locked 1-1 after the opening day's play.

Croatian Iva Majoli's run of hot form came to an abrupt end in Bol when she was stung 6-4 6-1 by little-known Iveta Benesova.

Croatia's number two, Jelena Kostanic, had earlier given the hosts a 1-0 lead in the fixture with a hard-fought 7-6 6-4 victory over Sandra Kleinova.

Champions Belgium surged into a 2-0 lead over Australia with Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters putting recent injuries behind them to turn on the style at the Royal Leopold Club in Brussels.

World number three Clijsters had been unable to compete for almost a month due to shoulder problems but raced past Alicia Molik 6-0 6-2 to give the hosts a commanding 2-0 lead.

Henin, Wimbledon runner-up last year, withdrew from last week's tournament in Charleston with a muscle strain and was less convincing in her 6-4 4-6 6-0 win over Nicole Pratt.

SISTER POWER

Belgium look likely to face Italy next as the Italians took a 2-0 lead over Sweden.

Sisters Antonella and Adriana Serra Zanetti did all the damage beating Asa Svensson and Sofia Arvidsson in Milan.

Antonella was making her Fed Cup debut and fought off five match points before securing victory 6-7 6-3 10-8.

"I will remember this match for a long, long time," she said.

Barbara Rittner also scored a memorable victory, beating Anastasia Myskina 7-5 3-6 7-5 to drag Germany level 1-1 as they look for a first Fed Cup victory over Russia.

The world number 67 fought hard on a rainy day to beat the favoured Myskina, who is 38 places higher in the WTA rankings.

"I knew I was capable of winning," 29-year-old Rittner said afterwards. "Now we must believe in ourselves but first of all, I must calm down."

Fifteenth-ranked Elena Dementieva had earlier put last year's finalists Russia in the lead with a straightforward 6-4 6-2 victory over 19-year-old Martina Mueller in a match that was briefly interrupted by a downpour.

The winners of that Dresden tie face either Spain or Hungary, also locked 1-1, in the last eight.

RECORD WIN

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario won a record 46th Fed Cup singles match to haul the hosts level after Hungary had taken a surprise lead in Almeria.

The win also saw Sanchez-Vicario move past the record of 66 total wins -- singles and doubles -- in the competition that she had jointly held with Britain's Virginia Wade.

Spain stumbled at first when Angeles Montolio tripped up against the 77th-ranked Zsofia Gubacsi in a tough three-setter 6-3 3-6 6-2.

But 30-year-old Sanchez-Vicario -- still ranked in the world's top 20 -- beat Rita Kuti Kis 6-4 6-2 to square the match on the slow, red clay.

Switzerland, without Martina Hingis, face first round defeat as they trail a tough Slovak team 2-0 after the first day's play.

Slovak number three Janette Husarova pulled off a terrific opening victory by beating world number 17 Patty Schnyder 7-6 5-7 7-5 to nose the hosts ahead in Bratislava before Daniela Hantuchova crushed Myriam Casanova 6-4 7-5.

Slovakia need one more victory on Sunday to book a spot in the quarter-finals where they will meet either Argentina or France.

The French took an early lead in the first round match when Amelie Mauresmo outmuscled Mariana Diaz-Oliva 7-5 6-2, but Paola Suarez thrilled the Buenos Aires crowd by edging past Sandrine Testud 7-5 6-4 to level matters at 1-1.